Twenty engravings of the roman capitals A-I, L-T, V, and Z, decorated with acanthus leaves and incorporating human figures and satyrs. The letters are set against landscapes that contain scenes chiefly from classical mythology, within rectangular borders of strapwork, figures, and grotesques

Binder's title

All prints but B and C bear "Con Priuilegio" or a variation. Additionally each print has a title in Italian engraved on the background which identifies the scene, and the figure in it whose name begins with the letter depicted on the plate. The presence of these titles distinguishes Miller's copy 2b from the earlier copy 2a, which lacks them. The legend "I. Paulini F." appears on plate A of Miller's copy 2b, but is not present in Getty copy

Most sources call for 20 prints, though Bonacini and Thieme-Becker call for 24 and Guilmard reports copies with either 20 or 24

Some prints in Getty copy watermarked with a sun face; cf. Briquet 13956, 13959, 13960 (northern Italy, in use 1593-1606). Others are marked with a crossbow; cf. Briquet 763, 766, 767, 770 (northern Italy, in use 1583-1600). The watermarks thus suggest a printing date closer to the end of the 16th century than to 1570, the conjectural date of first publication

Miller, E. 16th-cent. Italian ornament prints in the Victoria and Albert Museum

Bonacini, C. Arti scrittorie

Guilmard, D. Les maîtres ornemanistes

Thieme-Becker

Binding: vellum. Spine gilt tooled, including title on label. Edges blue. Some end papers bear watermarks of Manufacture royale d'Angoumois, founded 1730

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